Today's Massa press conference began with a couple of questions about today's City Newspaper Nachbar interview, moved on to Kuhl and flip-flopping, and finished with energy policy.
The Nachbar questions began with the comment by Nachbar that endorsements are "silly". Massa noted that Nachbar has been invited to meet with all of the Democratic committees in the 29th. He gave the example of the Pittsford committee calling Nachbar twice to schedule a meeting and not being called back. As for endorsements, Massa said:
Endorsements from your core constituencies are key because they are the ones who know you best. They spend hours, if not days, drilling the candidate on the issues they care about. To call that silly is a slap in the face of the Democratic party.
I also asked Massa about Nachbar's characterization of the other candidates in the race as "government employees". His response:
I spent several hours last month walking in Arlington National Cemetery, which is full of government employees. If Mr. Nachbar says that ... he has a lot of explaining to do to the families of soldiers who are in Iraq right now.
After pointing out that the election is about Kuhl, not about Nachbar, Massa went on to characterize Kuhl's latest response on immigration as one in a pattern of "flip flops".
First he cosponsors employee free choice, then he attacks it. First he supports the war, then he runs away from his record. First, he runs against the guest worker program, now he supports it. When I point that out, he says I'm fabricating or falsifying.
Massa characterized Kuhl's response as one taught by Karl Rove: "say anything and do anything in the hope that nobody is really watching."
I also asked Massa about energy policy. I asked him if he agreed with Kuhl's proposal to cut gas taxes by 10 cents when they reach $3.00/gallon, and Kuhl's support HR 1252, the price gouging protection act.
Massa called Kuhl's 10-cent proposal a "soundbite", saying that Kuhl can comfortably support it even though it will make no difference because Kuhl "knows it won't pass". He also said that it was good to see Kuhl supporting HR 1252, because, as the price of crude is going down, the price of gas is going up. "It's clear the public is being taken to the cleaners."
Aside from gas prices, Massa sees energy policy related to two broader issues: global warming and national security:
The single largest threat to national security is our dependence on foreign oil. The single largest environmental threat is the use of carbon-based fuels in all areas. We need a bold vision, one that looks a biofuels, and fulfills the promise of a hydrogen-based economy. We need a Congressman who will lead and not follow the oil industry.
Massa noted that Kuhl had received "tens of thousands" of dollars from the oil industry. "Once you're beholden to Exxon/Mobil, you can't act on behalf of the constituents you're representing."
Comments
I'm sure that Massa has a much better chance of winning than does Nachbar. Endorsements are important in primaries, much more important than the general election (for example, no Republican would loose much sleep over NOW or the Steel Workers Union endorsing the Democrat candidate).
I think Massa is wrong in equating the military to government workers. While technically true, I can tell you that I never felt when I was in the service that I was a government worker.
It might not be clear in the written quote, but Massa used the term "government employee" and Arlington in the same sentence to point out how foolish it was for Nachbar to equate military service with government work. Sorry I didn't do a better job of expressing what he meant.
I think the "government employee" thing is more of an interpretation of Nachbar's statement. Eric is a Veteran, and Nachbar was clearly referring to him as just a govt employee.
Nachbar's PR firm is going to have to work late nights to try and fix this one.